We used AERY glider simulator to create plans for a working glider. Simulator design features include our fuselage, horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, and our wings. These were all made in AERY to create the design for our glider that we wanted. Some of us did a simple, standard design, while others did a more difficult design like the canard style (I did this one). This means they put their horizontal stabilizer closer to the front of the plane, in front of the wings, different from when the horizontal stabilizer is placed in the back with the vertical stabilizer. Now I'm pretty positive our goal was to reach 50 feet, I was able to accomplish this while others exceeded the expectations, with over 70 feet flights. Now to make the gliders work we used a launcher, others threw by hand. I threw by hand, because I was having some complications with the launcher. With throwing by hand you have to make sure you have the right of power and angle of attack to make your plane fly far. Meaning if I flew it too hard it would plummet and if i flew it at a high angle of attack my glider would stall and fall. We had the constraints of making sure everything fit on one piece of wood when cutting with the laser, because that is the one piece we were allowed. Now for the design process we all started with the thought of making the plane work and fly, and in the end that was the same intention, but with the design process getting all jumbled. Meaning we did not all follow the design process how we should have, or how we wanted to.
We did a couple challenges in class and then I did some free time to learn and be more familiar with the software. Using software equipment is easier to make sure that your glider flies. This software lets you know what you need to fix on your glider to make it fly and maybe some tweaking to make it fly better.
Design
I do not have a picture of my glider on AERY but below are the printout plans.
My goal was to reach 50 feet and was completed.
Overall Experience
My glider could have worked better, there was too for improvements. I was able to follow my plans fairly well, but as user error occurred I messed wing alignment up The longest flight I believe was 25 secs, I believe it was from the user from not throwing so hard and using the right angle of attack. My flight could have been more successful if the stability was not off balance. The wing balance was off and it threw off the entire stability for the flight. I tried to incorporate as best as I could but as human we always forget about the small steps and we like to just jump in. Now I did take a step back and make sure everything was correct. That being said the first time my plans didn’t save right so it was good of me to realize that the cut out didn’t look right. I was able to go back and fix it though.
Conclusion
Some strengths is being able to direct your flight and fix if needed. A weakness was how was how when drying my wings it moved it off axis so then it messed of the stability.
My flight gets through AERY said my stabilizer was too big, but I think it worked perfect, but it predicted that it would fly with the velocity they used but it was hard to recreate the little velocity use on the software.
To me it looked like the regular design with heavy weight and large wings worked better. These designs were able to experience an optimal flight.